Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-25

A Schooner Dashed Upon the Beach iu
a StOrm-The Captain and One Of the
Crew LOst-stOry Of One Of the Sur
vivanX SailOrs.

StOrm-The Captain and One Of the
Crew Lost-Story Of One OF the Sur.
viving SailOrs.
CHICAGO, August pa special from Miller Ind,
reports the first fatal wreck OF the season. The
schooner Clara, OF ManiStee, was driven ashore
yesterday, and her wreckage is strewn along the
beach for miles. Capt. Olson, her master and
owner, and one OF the sailors lost their lives and
Jno. Gustavson, the mate, escaped by swimming
ashore on plank. The vessel was bound for Z HI
cago with a cargo OF hard lumber. She left Ma
nlstee Monday morning with light wind, but To-
ward night squall swept down upon her from the
northeast, jerking her head sails out or the bolt
ropes and crippling her so that she became un-
manageable. AN night long she staggered before
the gale that kept increasing In violence. The sea
ran very high, and the waves swept her decks OF
everything movable. She arrived off Chicago in
such disabled condition that it was impossible To
work her into the harbor, and
SHE WAS DRIVEN Up THE LAKE.
Realizing that she was soon 10 be on the beach
Capt. Olson let go OF the anchor when abreast OF
this place. but the flukes failed to hold, and she
dragged on sand bar half a mile from shore.
The seas kept dashing over her, and the crew OF
three men were compelled TO climb into the rig
ging and lash themselves to keep from being
washed overheard In less than an hour the COW
erings of the matches were carried away and the
sea swept into the hold, filling 1t TO the decks.
Then She rolled over ON her side, and Hans
Christensen was carried away on the crest OF a
wave. Capt. Olsen and Gustavson got hold or a
plank. 1t was raining hard and the night was SO
dark they could see nothing, but they clung to
the plank with the hope that the waves would
push IL onward TO the beach. GustaySon says he
heard loud cry. and on looking behind saw the
captain had relaxed his hold, and was even then
disappearing beneath the waves. He was unable
to help him and
THE CAPTAIN WENT DOWN.
GuStavSon does not recollect much about his
battle for lie. Three times The plank turned over
and buried himfn the water, but he hung on TO ii,
and was dashed, bleeding and senSelesS, on the
sandy beach. When he regained his senses he was
living on his back with the rain pelting down on
his face. There was not a house in sight, for the
village lies three miles back from the lake. Naked,
bruised, and bleeding, he made his way along the
beach to the clubhouse o1 the Calumet Shooting
Club. He mad just enough strength TO give fee
BILE rap on the door, and when IL opened he
fell fainting across the threshold. He
was carried inside and kindly cared for
until he recovered sufficiently to relate
his story, and after being provided with
clothing, he took the train ior Chicago. Before
leaving Gustavson went down 10 the beach TO see
what had become OF the wreck. He found that II
had broken up, and the broken timbers and cargo
were scattered in every direction. The captains
chest, which, GuStavson says contained a large
sum of money, was found, but it was broken open
and the contents were missing. Gustavson thinks
the chest had been rified by thieves.
NEITHER OF THE BODIES HAS BEEN RECOVERED.
Ali day and night crowd Of men from the viii
lage have been on the beach gathering up the
cargo as it drtfted ashore and hauling IL away,
Ben. LanglpiS, Of the Chicago liIe-Saving crew,
who came GOWN here with a reporter, says he
never saw such hungry lot OF thieves around a
wreck in his life,